Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
Here is stunning Swiffer’s story as we know it, told by the woman who rescued him.
“This handsome hunk (Dr. Jen estimates he was born in early 2015) joined our two feral cats, Floyd and Goldie behind the church on Pleasant SE by Division in late March of 2019. I got him neutered at CSNIP in April. When we fed him, he was as interested in getting attention as in eating his food, and gradually he started following me to my car when I would leave.
“Finally I couldn’t stand it any longer, so I took him home to be tested and vaccinated—I figured if he was unhappy at the house, I could always take him back. He is sooooo happy at the house. I could never take him to the Humane Society. He loves me and I love him—and I know I can’t keep him but it will be hard to say good-bye. He really gets along well with the other cats. He comes in the bathroom with me so we can have our alone time. Did I say that I love him and that he is my boyfriend?”
Well, we hate to be the ones to tell the rescuer that her gray guy has acquired quite a few girlfriends since his arrival at Crash’s in November! It is easy to see why everyone who has come into contact with him is absolutely delighted by his gentle demeanor and dashing good looks:
“Swiffer—he is one big, gorgeous fluff ball! How this guy ended up homeless is beyond me because he is such a gentle boy who loves people and attention. His rescuer mentioned that he would probably let us know if he felt too overwhelmed, and sure enough, the first couple days he did with a quick swat. Now that he’s acclimated, although a little shy, he’s very relaxed and really enjoys indoor life and having friends. He doesn’t mind having his long hair brushed, which is important because he will definitely require it to be done a couple times a week, if not daily. He’d do well in a home with older kids, a cat buddy or two, and lots of attention (LOTS!).”
We’re pretty confident that once this biography hits the internet and the people looking for a lovely, lifetime companion feast their eyes on Swiffer that he is going to get swept off of his feet and into his fur-ever home!
More about Swiffer:
Domestic Medium Hair
Gray/Blue/Silver
Adult
Male
Extra Large
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Good in a home with other cats, children
Want to adopt Swiffer? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
It is always heartbreaking to us when one of our previous residents has to return to live within our furry fold, especially our senior citizens who have spent many, many years in homes of their own.
When we were contacted in August of 2019 by the adopter of our cat formerly known as Fargo, we were immediately concerned that his re-arrival was going to be a bit difficult; he was adopted out just two months after intake in March of 2011, and up until last year, had lived with just one other cat. As the story goes, since the loss of his constant companion, Larry (as he was renamed) was extremely lonely, and bringing another cat into the household wasn’t a viable option; after much consideration, his owner felt it best he come back to us.
As expected, when the 11-1/2 year old (born in January of 2008) reentered our program, he was shell-shocked to say the least. And to top things off, Dr. Jen diagnosed him with kidney disease when she performed his initial work-up; though geriatric-onset renal disease is very common, the last thing poor Larry needed was daily medication given by strangers—but it had to be done. So our volunteers made sure to soothe his worried soul extensively during his first few weeks with us, taking care not to spook him when it was time to administer the oral liquid meds to slow the progression of his illness.
Larry is a lovely, gentle, old guy who would love nothing more than to land himself a place to live out his golden years; a place that is less busy and bustling than Crash’s. Larry, in our opinion, has been very confused and seems lost at times being back at the shelter. He’s very skittish when approached, but once you’ve got him in your arms he relaxes enough to allow you to hold him for a bit. He isn’t too fond of having several cats around him but has been seen cuddled up with a single cat, which warms our hearts.
We feel that going to a home with another cat may just be what he needs. He can be pretty vocal at times, tends to swat on occasion, but more than likely this behavior is due to the fact that he just feels overwhelmed. We really would like him go to a home where his humans will be around more often than not, and can give him the attention he craves, as he needs to rebuild his trust in people. One cat buddy would definitely help build his esteem, but more than that and we feel Larry will regress and keep to himself.
A lot of us remember him as the full-bodied and outgoing Fargo, so it has been sad for us to see him struggle in this manner. We are doing our very best to show him the affection and shower him with the attention that he so desires but is afraid to ask for, and we will all continue to do so until his fabulous, final family is found.
More about Larry:
Domestic Short Hair
Orange & White
Senior
Male
Medium
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date, declawed, special needs: kidney disease
Neutered
Good in a home with one other cat
Want to adopt Larry? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
Once in awhile, we have the extreme pleasure of taking in a cat who is so instantaneously comfortable with his new surroundings, it is as though he has lived among us his entire life. Here’s a cat who is downright ebullient and gleeful at the mere prospect of coming into contact with a human that it elevates his emotions to another level of happiness—pure, unadulterated bliss!
Such is the case with Theon Greyjoy, a 2-year-old, beautiful boy (born in the summer of 2017) who has been simply bursting at the seams since his arrival in late August of 2019. How did we happen across such greatness? Somehow this gorgeous gray guy (sporting a little white locket) ended up at the Kent County Animal Shelter as a homeless stray, and when he tested positive for Feline Leukemia Virus four weeks after his arrival there, they called us to ask for help with placement.
From the get-go, Theon has delighted all of us with his charming personality and people-pleasing antics, bringing unrivaled joy into our lives:
“Theon is not only gorgeous, but he has proven to be an absolute doll. From the minute he arrived, he’s enjoyed all the luxuries of indoor life, including endless bowls of wet food, comfy beds, and ALL of the attention from the volunteers. He gets along great with the other residents, enjoys playing with the many toys scattered around the shelter, and is known to be a “helper” at the kitchen sink. Considering his young, playful age, he will definitely need a home with kids willing to spend plenty of time playing with him.”
“Theon is a bundle of joy and energy. He’s the type of cat that thrives in our chaotic shelter environment. He loves all of his friends, both feline and human. He is constantly in the middle of everything. He will do awesome in any action-packed home, maybe even one with a dog.”
So, there ya have it: aside from the fact he has the Feleuk virus, Theon Greyjoy is absolute purr-fection. And since positive kitties CAN live long and healthy lives, he is absolutely a fabulous candidate for adoption. A word of advice: don’t let this guy slip on by!
More about Theon Lovejoy:
Domestic Short Hair
Gray & White, Gray/Blue/Silver
Adult
Female
Medium
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Prefers a home with other cats, children
Want to adopt Theon? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
Drop-dead gorgeous Devereaux (ooh, so fancy!) came to us back in the summer of 2016 laden with intestinal parasites and looking for indoor housing. She quickly earned the title of ‘diva’, demanding constant attention and affection (the volunteers were happy to accommodate), and made her presence known to all who came to gaze upon her.
In January of the following year a love-connection was made, and Dev was adopted and taken into a home she could claim all for her own, which could not have been more perfect for this pretty princess. Jan and Dev lived quite harmoniously together for about a year and a half, but then our gorgeous girl developed some unbecoming litter box habits.
Over the next year, she was a frequent clinic visitor, Dr. Jen had many conversations about how to try to curb Miss Piddlepuss’s behavioral urination issues. Sadly everything we tried was ineffective in the long run, although multiple, hopeful respites were seen in between, Dev simply could not get her act together permanently.
So, three years after her initial arrival into our program, darling Devereaux (born in late 2013) once again graced us with her presence. Let’s just say that her return was anything but simple and serene; in fact, she had to spend several days at the clinic simply chilling in her cage in order for she and Dr. Jen to come to an agreement about handling her. With the help of a pheromone calming collar, Dev and Dr. Jen were soon seeing eye to eye, and then it was make-or-break time—to head on down to Crash’s and get acquainted and immersed into a multi-cat lifestyle once again.
As you can imagine she has had quite a bit to say about things, and we have made the following observations:
“Devereaux definitely thinks she is a princess. She hates the other cats with a passion but is doing okay since she has learned to avoid them. She likes attention, but only on her terms. As long as she has a cozy bed to snuggle down into she is very content. She needs to be an only cat—no dogs or kids. Don’t get me wrong, as she’s a very nice girl who deserves another chance, but with someone who understands she is a wee bit temperamental and is patient with her.
“There have been no reports of inappropriate litter box habits since she has been back (her bio was written about 2 months after her re-arrival).”
We completely understand that finding the perfect home for her is going to be a tall order to fill, as Jan was single, it was just the two of them and Dev still couldn’t behave. We’ve considered making her a permanent resident, but she hasn’t had a single accident outside of the box since she returned, so she deserves a second chance.
Why her manners have surfaced now is beyond us—maybe it is the fact we have boxes in every room, or perhaps she is being diligent in the hopes of being sprung from this ‘prison’ of sorts—but whatever the case is, we are happy that she is following the rules.
We are working on her entitled attitude, so we honestly do see a great deal of untapped potential waiting to emerge.
More about Devereaux:
Domestic Medium Hair
Tortoiseshell
Adult
Female
Large
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Spayed
Prefers a home without other cats, dogs, children
Want to adopt Devereaux? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
Handsome, hunky, HUGE Hodor came to us in a roundabout way on Aug. 22, 2019, but we sure are happy he is with us. The Berrien County Animal Shelter adopted hum out 10 days prior to Morgan, a wonderful gal who was head over heels for him, but when she took him immediately in to her vet for an exam, he tested positive for FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus).
Unable to keep him in her home with her other cat for fear of them not getting along (though not on his part), she contacted the shelter to inquire about returning him. That proved not to be a viable option, as he would most likely be euthanized, and Morgan could not fathom that happening to such an awesome cat. So, she reached out to us, explained the unfortunate situation, and asked if there was any way we could help. Dr. Jen is a sucker for sad stories, especially ones where an injustice would be done to an innocent animal, so even though we were tight on pace at our sanctuary, Dr. Jen had Morgan bring him over.
We couldn’t believe our eyes when we first set my sights on this magnificent, massive mound of cat! He was astoundingly adorable AND proved to be quite the gentle giant, hence his name. Dr. Jen guesstimates that Hodor was born in the summer of 2014, and other than having a mild flea allergy dermatitis, a bilateral ear infection and mild dental tartar, he checked out fine and dandy—and tipped the scales at 15 lbs. Although the good doc would have loved nothing more than for him to hang out with her at the clinic, she knew the volunteers would be instantly smitten, so she sent him down to our sanctuary for some super-sized one-on-one.
From the get-go, Hodor has been the epitome of perfection, in awe of everyone and everything he comes into contact with. We can’t imagine a home he wouldn’t do fabulously well in as he is easy-going, friendly and an all-around naturally nice guy. He fit in so well with the others, it was as though he had lived at Big Sid’s his entire life. He will make an exceptional companion to a family bursting with kids, another cat or even a dog; he hasn’t a mean bone is his big-n-buff body and absolutely adores his roomies—his motto is ‘the more, the merrier’.
In honor of full transparency, we have to put an addendum on to Hodor’s biography, as we have caught him spraying a few vertical surfaces in our free-roaming facility. However, given the fact that our current population is 80% male, and all of our intake since his arrival has been testosterone-laden, we are confident that once he is living it up in a home where there aren’t so many big personalities vying for top spot, this behavior will dissolve into a distant memory. We see this quite often, given the fact that the majority of our Sid’s Kids are boys, but honestly, we only have a few cats we will not adopt out due to aberrant behavior—and believe it or not, those select few are primarily female.
If Dr. Jen didn’t have a house full of her own, Hodor would be at the top of her Wish List for sure. You can’t go wrong with a kitty whose sole purpose is to love and be loved in return, who wants nothing more than to become your constant companion and spend the rest of his days lounging by your side, soaking up all of the attention given to him and repaying it in kind.
More about Hodor:
Domestic Short Hair
Tabby (Tiger-striped), White
Adult
Male
Extra Large
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Good in a home with other cats, dogs, children
Want to adopt Hodor? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
On Aug. 22, 2019, Dr. Jen received an email plea from a Caledonia gal who came across this scruffy old guy wandering around her neighborhood. Her efforts to locate his owner or someone to take him in failed, but he was in need of medical care, so she took him in to her vet; sadly, the senior citizen (born in 2009 perhaps) tested positive for FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus). Having two cats of her own—and the new guy not really being a fan of others of the feline kind—the rescuer sought our help, lest he have to be euthanized.
Even though we really didn’t have the extra room at our free-roaming facility, Dr. Jen took him in and got to work on his health issues. Gendry (with a hard ‘G’) had suffered a mangled left ear and a tongue laceration some time ago, along with many broken teeth; he was in dire need of a dental, treatment for a bilateral ear infection and general plumping up.
The good doc and Gendry spent a few days together at the clinic where Dr. Jen discovered just what a gentle old soul he was, appreciative of chin scratches and gentle pets as much as the endless bowls of food presented to him. She knew it was going to be a bit of challenge to send him down to our sanctuary and ask him to get along with the 49 other cats, but he really had no other choice.
After a few days with us, it was evident that Gendry was LOVING the indoor life and all of the perks that came with being a Sid’s Kid:
“Gendry loves his one-on-one time with volunteers so much so that he frequently sneaks into the cat care office to ‘help’ with paperwork. He is a bit temperamental at times and is having a little bit of a tough time being around so many other cats, but he’s getting better as time goes on and he becomes more comfortable in the shared space (with the aid of anti-anxiety medication and a pheromone calming collar). He’s not physically aggressive but does tend to not back down during confrontations with some of the others; he may be little, but he is mighty. He’d definitely prefer to be an only cat, and to repay his adopters for their kindness he would eagerly express his gratitude by dropping the attitude and showering them with kitty head butts, purrs and total devotion. We feel that this old guy surely does deserve a comfy, cozy home all of his very own.”
And then Gendry started exhibiting some concerning symptoms that brought him back to the clinic. Digital radiographs of his spine showed significant bone spurs on the underside of his spinal vertebrae, which were causing him quite a bit of pain, an abnormal gait, and severe spasms that almost appeared seizure-like. The condition, known as spondylosis deformans, is somewhat rare in cats and typically isn’t present diffusely as his is.
So our old guy had every right to be a bit cranky since his arrival, but now that we have made the diagnosis, we can treat him accordingly with anti-inflammatory medication. There is no cure for this, but with the right cocktail of drugs, we can keep him comfy and agile—and hopefully lift his spirits in the process!
More about Gendry:
Domestic Short Hair
Tabby (Gray/Blue/Silver)
Senior
Male
Medium
House-trained
FIV+
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Prefers a home without other cats
Want to adopt Gendry? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
Uncle Daddy is doing amazingly well, and we are all so very proud of him! Since being dumped on our doorstep back in March—along with nine other furry family members—this guy has graciously allowed us to pick him up, and he actually enjoys it, but as soon as there are too many people around, he gets scared, hisses and runs off. He and Dr. Jen are best buddies, always hanging around together and posing for photo ops; he can be quite comical—and unabashedly shameless. He’s definitely still the leader of the pack; his furry family members look up to him and sincerely derive pleasure from his company.
Now, why did Dr. Jen name the family the way she did? When Dr. Jen discovered that they were all somehow related, she started calling the one whom she assumed was the founding father ‘Uncle Daddy’. Then while attempting to retrieve one of the girls safely from a travel carrier, the good doc was rewarded with a nasty slash across the hand with talon-like claws. So, she put two-and-two together and decided to name the bunch after characters from a quirky TV show aptly called Claws.
The Shy Seven consisted of Uncle Daddy, Roller, Dean, Desna, Jenn, Polly and Quiet Ann, and with the addition of Brice, Dr. Ken and Virginnia, the cast of cats was complete; it all made purr-fect sense to Dr. Jen—and there is always a method to her madness.
At our free-roaming facility, cats like these have all of the time in the world to acclimate and adjust at their own rate, a snail’s pace if that is what is necessary. We have no cages, no time limits, no rules or regulations: each individual cat gets to stretch his legs at his own pace, each kitty gets to spread her furry little wings and fly when she is ready to leave the nest.
We offer a peaceful, secure environment to each and every cat in our care as long as they need it—and us. Slow and steady wins the race, and we firmly believe that with love, all things are possible; we surely can see endless possibilities and bright futures full of promise for this family of ours.
One final thing to note, since we have gotten to know each and every one of the 10 intimately: none of them should go to homes with children, and all require a quiet, mellow space. All except Jenn absolutely need to be placed with another cat they can snuggle up with, but not necessarily with one of the Timid 10.
The boy is shameless
Potential adopters should be aware that it will more than likely be a tough transition for any of them, but once they settle in, get themselves familiarized with their new surroundings and develop a new routine, they are going to be amazing cats. They are 100% worth the effort but they will require more patience, time and energy than your average shelter cat.
Honestly though, we feel each and everyone one of our cats is above average, especially this family, who have come so far since they day they were dumped on our doorstep. Their transformation has been nothing short of remarkable.
If you are interested in meeting one or more of the family members, we’ll set up a special ‘quiet time’ to come visit them. They really thrive in calm surroundings so we want to showcase them at their best!
More about Uncle Daddy:
Domestic Medium Hair
Black
Adult
Male
Medium
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Prefers a home without children
Want to adopt Uncle Daddy? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
Dr. Jen is a firm believer that things happen for a reason and that often you end up at the right place at exactly the right time. Such is the case with T’Challa.
Dr. Jen and her fiancé were heading home from Detroit on Aug. 11, 2019, when she checked her emails on her phone. Garden City resident, Jessy Kellerman, had contacted the good doc for possible help with an FIV+ stray that she had found in her neighborhood and had been caring for since she picked him up on the 5th. Ill with an upper respiratory infection and fully intact—his mere presence was causing a small ruckus in her home—this four-year-old fella (born in the summer of 2015) was in need of placement, with the ultimate goal of adoption into a home better suited to him.
As luck would have it, the lovebirds were only about 20 minutes away from the cat in needs’ location, so they grabbed lunch and headed on over to meet and pick up their furry passenger for the two-hour ride home.
Although the strikingly handsome, petite black panther had been quite vocal at Jessy’s place, he didn’t make a single peep on the way home (ok, once—when Dr. Jen was singing along to a song that he obviously didn’t care for), sitting contentedly in his carrier on her lap. Dr. Jen set him up in her home office for the night and let him settle in a bit, although he would have much preferred to make his rounds about her house, but with two Bassets and 10 cats in residence, it wasn’t advisable.
Although grumbly when seeing the other cats through the door to Dr. Jen’s enclosed ‘catio’, T’Challa seemed more interested in exploring than anything. But since feline immunodeficiency virus is transmitted through bite wounds, and given the fact his whole world had been turned upside-down yet again, Dr. Jen confined him—and heard ALL about it the entire evening. Jessy was right when she said he had a lot to say!
The boy enjoys the ‘catio’
As expected, T’Challa had a hard time adjusting to the shelter and is just starting to settle in at the writing of his bio a month after his arrival. He seems to get along great with some of the cats, even snuggling up next to them sometimes. However, some of our more ‘manly’ cats pick on him and he just can’t understand why—but we have an idea: it’s that constant chattering, meowing and talking to everyone and everything (while in perpetual motion) that ruffles their feathers.
We want more than anything for this sweet boy to quickly find a nice, quiet home. The other cats really do overwhelm him. He’s never been aggressive but the others obviously see his “noises” as a threat. He prefers to be curled up out of the spotlight, enjoys his wet food, and loves all of us doting over him. He has quickly become a volunteer favorite and loves nothing more than to just sit on a lap. He absolutely needs a less active home with no dogs, no small kids, but possibly an older, quiet cat.
T’Challa will make someone a wonderful companion, and we have no doubt he will quiet right down once he feels at ease.
More about T’Challa:
Domestic Short Hair
Black
Adult
Male
Large
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Prefers a home without dogs or children
Want to adopt T’Challa? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
On July 1st, 2019, south-side stray savior, Sandi D. came across this friendly fella hanging around one of her feral colonies on Putnam SW. She didn’t have room to take him in but couldn’t let her chance slip away, so she plopped him in to a travel carrier and took him back to her crowded but cozy home. He proceeded to vomit all morning, so she brought him to see Dr. Jen’s colleague for an anti-nausea injection and oral meds for very soft, stinky stool.
A few days later she took him in to C-SNIP for his neutering, where they discovered an old tail injury that caused his appendage to have a permanent bump distally, close to the tip. When Dr. Jen finally saw him on the 8th for his official work-up, he tested positive for FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus); no big surprise, considering he was intact for the first 3 years of his life (born in the summer of 2016).
Other than minor stud tail and moderate gingivitis, he appeared quite healthy overall, but over the course of the next several weeks at our sanctuary, he developed a painful, bilateral case of conjunctivitis that wasn’t responding to a slew of different topical medications. After examining him again a month after his arrival, it was clear he needed steroids systemically in hopes of counteracting the inflammation that was causing him significant pain. More than likely it is viral in nature, too; it’s not caused by FIV but feline herpes, which is ubiquitous in stray cat populations, most often stemming from infection during kittenhood.
Moving forward, he may need some sort of long-term medication—either topically, orally or by injection—to manage this condition, but he takes his meds like a champ, so there shouldn’t be an issue on the receiving end.
A few weeks into his stay with us at Big Sid’s, our cat care manager noted the following:
“Podrick has really settled well despite his eye problems, intermittent fevers and just feeling terrible. He’s learning that human affection isn’t so bad after all, after being quite tense both at the clinic and upon arrival. He lets out the occasional grumble or hiss when being picked up but will come looking for human attention on his own. He prefers to be tucked away, sleeping in a cubby to being out in the open, but I blame that on just not feeling well lately. He’s an adorable guy, who I feel in time will become playful and start hanging out with the other cats. He would do best in a home with older kids that can provide him with lots of attention and playtime, while also being respectful to his space. I certainly wouldn’t call him aggressive but he does have his reservations on being held. Dogs are a possibility as he’s not real timid.”
As we expected, his (and our) primary concern was to get him feeling better, and as he did so, he became more comfortable in his surroundings—maybe TOO comfy.
Since Pod isn’t a biter, there is minimal risk of transmitting FIV to another kitty, unless tempers flare and fighting ensues. He is so handsome, especially now that he can see all that is going on around him clearly AND understands that indoor life has benefits he wasn’t previously aware of. His life has been rough thus far, and now that he has turned a corner and is fitting in beautifully, we are going to do our darndest to find him the type of home he may have only dreamed was possible.
More about Podrick:
Domestic Short Hair
Tabby (Tiger Striped)
Adult
Male
Large
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Good in a home with other cats
Want to adopt Podrick? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
Gratiot Area Animals in Need (G.A.I.N.) contacted us in early July of 2019 in hopes of us being able to accommodate a FIV+ girl they had in their foster program. Although she had been with them since April, she wasn’t tested until her spay appointment in June, and when her viral status was discovered, they were in need of locating a shelter, such as ours, that caters to their special status. The only way the virus can be transmitted is through bite wounds, so at some point she was injured by another cat.
Lyanna hasn’t a mean bone in her lovely three-year-old body (born in the summer of 2016); in fact, she has proven to be one of our most outgoing, gregarious girls. In the words of our volunteers:
“Lyanna definitely goes against the “torti rules” by being the sweetest little thing. She enjoys gazing through the French doors to the lobby just waiting for one of the volunteers to pop in, scoop her up, and give her the attention she adores so much. She loves to follow us around and watch everything that is going on. I’ve seen her sass a few of the bigger boys and stand her ground when challenged, but she is not at all physically aggressive. She’d make the perfect companion for a home with kids, maybe a smaller dog, (she was fostered with dogs) and access to plenty of playtime. I’d worry a little about her trying to get outside because she does try her darnedest to sneak in to the lobby on occasion, so that should be taken into consideration.”
That. Face.
“Lyanna is the perfect mix of sweet and sassy. She loves people, but doesn’t have a ton of time to be held or sit in laps, as there is just too much to do! She is very playful and loves to chase bell toys around. She will sometimes play with other cats, but other times she wants nothing to do with them. She has one of the biggest appetites of all our residents—probably to fuel her high level of energy!”
We firmly believe that being FIV+ is not going to hinder her from finding a home as her charming personality, pawsitively stunning looks, and non-torti temperament (they are typically quite opinionated and, shall we say, less than agreeable) make her an awesome candidate for companionship. A word of friendly advice: don’t miss out on the chance to make lovely Lyanna yours!
More about Lyanna:
Tortoiseshell & Domestic Short Hair Mix
Adult
Female
Medium
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
FIV+
Spayed
Good in a home with other cats, dogs, children
Want to adopt Lyanna? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
On March 2nd and again on March 17th, we had what we believe to be an entire family of terrified cats dumped off in carriers. ‘The Shy Seven’ were the first to arrive and then three more joined us, rounding things out to ‘The Timid Ten’.
Needless to say it was a HUGE ordeal for all involved, from the stunned volunteers who kept pulling cat after cat out of cramped carriers, to the traumatized kitties who had no idea what was going on, and finally to Dr. Jen, who spent the greater part of two weekends at the clinic getting them program-ready. The latter was no small feat, as every single cat (yup, all 10 of them) were intact; 4 of the 5 girls were pregnant, and all 10 were clearly out of their element and having major trust issues.
Adding various medical issues to the mix, like fleas and a variety of internal parasites, dental disease and chronic herpes virus—suffice it to say that we ended up having a heaping handful of kitties who needed a great deal of help, not only physically but probably more importantly, mentally.
It was clear from the onset that the family had been neglected and lacking human contact for quite some time given their poor body condition, painfully long nails, and a shyness that went beyond anything we have seen before—and we have seen a lot. We have no idea where they came from, or why someone thought it was a good idea to displace them as they did without regard for our space or financial capabilities, but Dr. Jen believes a kindhearted, elderly person owned them and, for whatever reason, let them breed and multiply, running rampant in the house and growing wilder and more wary as the days wore on. This person could have then passed away (or moved away) and the cats were left to fend for themselves until a family member (or landlord) came in and booted the entire lot of them out—and onto our doorstep.
Plays well with others
Regardless, we’d like to think they were loved by someone at some point, as this helps us believe in the goodness of people, enough so as to offset the stupidity and callousness of others.
Let’s just say that for the most part, the journey we have all been on together is ever evolving—and it is going to be a long road full of bumps, setbacks and yes, triumphs along the way. It is now a few months since the arrival of this family, and we are just now able to share their stories, as it has taken a great deal of time (and patience) to get to this point.
Although we can’t verify their twisted family tree, Dr. Jen believes they were all born in late 2016. In any case, we have learned who is independent, who absolutely needs to be part of a duo (or trio), and who is going to be our most challenging and in need of the most convincing that we are good and that we will do no harm.
Quiet Ann is blossoming before our eyes, becoming much more accepting of being petted, but we’re still not able to physically pick her up for more than a few minutes, or panic ensues. She is, as her name states, a soft-spoken (meowing) little lady who is as stunning as she is sweet. She’d pair up well with Roller who needs to go with another one of the 10 who will complement him nicely as the more self-assured dame of the duo.
Potential adopters should be aware that it will more than likely be a tough transition for any of them, but once they settle in, get themselves familiarized with their new surroundings, and develop a new routine, they are going to be amazing cats. They are 100% worth the effort, but they will require more patience, time and energy than your average shelter cat.
Honestly though, we feel each and every one of our cats is above average, especially this family, who have come so far since they day they were dumped on our doorstep. Their transformation has been nothing short of remarkable.
We want to reiterate that at our free-roaming facility, cats like these have all the time in the world to acclimate and adjust—at a snail’s pace if that is what is necessary. We have no cages, no time limits, no rules or regulations—each individual cat gets to stretch his legs at his own speed; each kitty gets to spread her furry little wings and fly when she is ready to leave the nest. We offer a peaceful, secure environment to each and every cat in our care as long as they need it—and us. Slow and steady wins the race, and we firmly believe that with love, all things are possible; we surely can see endless possibilities and bright futures full of promise for this family of ours.
To help potential adopters see what we do, if you are interested in meeting one or more of the family members, we’ll set up special ‘quiet times’ for you to come visit them. They really thrive in calm surroundings, so we want to showcase them at their best!
More about Quiet Ann:
Domestic Medium Hair & Domestic Short Hair Mix
Buff/Tan/Fawn; Tabby (Gray/Blue/Silver)
Adult
Female
Medium
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Spayed
Good in a home with other cats; no children
Want to adopt Quiet Ann? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
We cannot begin to express our intense dislike for non-breakaway collars placed on cats who are allowed to go outside; plain and simple—they are NOT safe, and in Axil’s case, wearing one became traumatic.
We have no idea just how long he had been wandering around in a neighborhood nearby Crash’s with just such a collar digging into the tender flesh of his right armpit, unable to free himself from the shackle that had rubbed his skin raw until it embedded itself deep within the tissue since it had no other place to go. We also have no idea how he finally broke free—if a kindhearted person cut it off and cut him loose—but by the time he was rescued in late June of 2018, the delicate and dainty boy (born in June of 2014) was still suffering the consequences of that dreaded collar.
Sue realized he had a wound on the outside of his arm, but she had no idea just how damaged, raw and angry the skin was medially; it was not a pretty sight to see on such a pretty guy.
Axillary wounds such as his are very difficult to successfully treat, as healing is delayed drastically when a moist environment is present. Add in the fact that bacteria loves pockets such as armpits AND that it is an almost impossible area to bandage, and well, Dr. Jen had her work cut out for her.
For the first four weeks his skin was treated topically, first with therapeutic honey, then Silvadene cream, and although some healing had taken place, Dr. Jen had to go in and surgically debride excessive granulation tissue that his body formed in trying to heal itself. Dr. Jen then used silver nitrate to cauterize the open wound in hopes of stimulating healing and resumed treating kitty topically.
However, in August, Dr. Jen had resolved herself to the fact that nothing topical was going to cut it, and she ended up taking Axil to surgery to amputate the foreleg in order to remove the affected skin and delicately close the wound defect without causing too much tension.
When all was said and done, and Axil had spent several days at Dr. Jen’s home recuperating, one of our volunteers offered to foster him in order to keep a close eye on him; we were concerned he would overdo it at our free-roaming facility and wanted to give him ample time to fully heal.
Loves to lounge
Jan worked diligently for the next 6 months to slowly acclimate Axil into her furry fold, but no matter what she tried, our feisty little tripod took too much delight in terrorizing two of her shy cats to the point they had to be separated. It was with a heavy heart that she decided it was best for her household to return him to Crash’s, and although it broke her heart, she does get to visit him every week on her shift.
We were apprehensive as to how Axil would respond to now being a ‘big fish in a little pond’, but he has settled in quite nicely; in fact Tully, one of our biggest sweethearts is making it his personal goal to be Axil’s BFF, whether he likes it or not. Ideally we want to find Axil a home where he is the only cat, or at least have a buddy that will stand up to him when he gets a bit big for his beautiful britches!
In the meantime we are going to work with him on his manners and delight in seeing him hop around our place with ease and grace.
More about Axil:
Domestic Medium Hair
Black
Adult
Male
Medium
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Prefers a home without other cats.
Want to adopt Axil? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
These two boys had it really rough prior to their rescue, and both had significant health issues that needed prompt medical attention. But probably most important of all, they are absolutely enamored by one another. In fact, their bond was almost immediate and has since grown to the point that we will strive to adopt them out as a duo because, honestly, one is rarely seen without the other close by.
We’ll begin with Caboose, a one-year-old fella (born in early 2018) from Lansing who found himself in dire straits when his rectum prolapsed (due to chronic diarrhea secondary to internal parasites). Thankfully, his rescuer took him to emergency immediately, and surgery corrected his issue. Unfortunately, he tested FIV+ (and upon retest, a faint FELV+), and although his rescuer was smitten with this darling boy, she had a houseful to think of for the long haul, so she contacted us for help.
All was going quite well after his arrival, but just three days into his stay at our sanctuary, Caboose prolapsed again — and this time had to have a portion of that pooching rectal tissue amputated. The second time around proved to be successful, and now (a month after his arrival) he is off all meds and pooping like a trooper.
Four days after Caboose came into our program, we opened our doors to a bedraggled but beautiful brown tabby — Snickerz — who hailed from the east side of the state. His rescuer came across him a month earlier, living outside of a local business, begging for dinner from food trucks on the property; he supposedly had caretakers but it was painfully obvious that this five-or-so-year-old fella (we think he was born in early 2014) was suffering, not only from a nasty respiratory infection, but heavy internal parasites, a nasty ear infection, and a horribly rotten mouth that attributed to his malnutrition and poor body weight. He also tested positive for both viruses.
Since his immune system was so run-down, Snickerz also came down with calici virus, an infectious, transmissible feline illness that causes painful oral ulcers, fever and lethargy. However, through it all, nothing dragged him down, and we all truly believe that the comfort he found in cuddling up next to his caring comrade Caboose expedited the healing process.
The two perfect peas-in-a pod have similar personalities as well as being bosom buddies, and it has been delightful watching them interact. Here is what our volunteers had to say:
Heeeere’s Snickerz
“Caboose — I just love this cat! He’s really doing well slowly starting to socialize, and likes to hang out now in different rooms. I love how he perks up when he sees me, almost like he’s proud of himself for being so much more brave and outgoing. He will eat bowl after bowl of wet food, and piles of Temptations. He’s doing great after his surgery and I think it’s obvious he feels good — look at the weight he’s gained! He doesn’t mind being picked up, LOVES belly rubs, and has sat on my lap a few times. Caboose is really starting to come out of his shell. He was so shy for a while, but he has settled in just great. He loves attention and has a great purr almost like Scherzer (our resident pigeon).”
“Snickerz is a bit on the shy side but is starting to show his personality. He prefers to be lying in his big puffy bed (with the stuffed lion his rescuer brought in with him) next to his other lounging friends. To me, he’s very kitten-like because he’s a little on the small size. He’s not real crazy about being picked up, but will curl up in your arms if you sit down with him. He enjoys treats and wet food, along with chin scratches. Being that he’s so shy he’s going to take some patience. Snickerz is a quiet boy who is really enjoying the comforts of indoor life. He’s such a happy and content guy that he has been caught purring in his sleep on numerous occasions.”
Both boys need to go into a quieter home, no small kids or boisterous dogs, and most definitely with one another; how could you separate these soulmates? We would love for nothing more than to give them the storybook ending they so deserve, a happily ever after that includes the both of them not necessarily riding off into the sunset, but rather napping side by side, contentedly, in complete bliss for countless days to come!
More about Caboose:
Domestic Short Hair
Tabby (Tiger-striped)
Adult
Male
Medium
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
FIV+ and FELV+
Good in a home with other cats, no children or dogs
More about Snickerz:
Domestic Short Hair
Tabby (Brown/Chocolate)
Adult
Male
Small
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
FIV+ and FELV+
Good in a home with other cats, no children or dogs
Want to adopt these great guys? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
In April of 2019, while out tending to her feral colonies, our favorite cat wrangler, Sandy D., came across this beaten-down and bedraggled, intact boy who had obviously been having a hard time on the streets. Suffering from a ruptured cat bite abscess on the left cheek, the 3-year-old (born in the spring of 2016) was a smelly, sticky, matted mess of draining pus and dead tissue. Graphic, but true.
Sandy brought kitty out to the clinic so that Dr. Jen could tend to his medical needs, and in doing so, the good doc discovered that he was FIV+ (no big surprise there); he also had a nasty toenail injury, greasy stud tail, major intestinal parasites and was downright filthy. After deep-cleaning not only his wound site but his entire body, Dr. Jen neutered him, got antibiotics and pain meds on board, dewormed and vaccinated him—he wasn’t ready to go into our program at Big Sid’s, but he was at least squeaky clean and feelin’ fine for his foster time at Sandy’s.
Although Dr. Jen is quite partial to the big boys she affectionately call ‘fat-heads’, it is a cryin’ shame that this darling, dapper fellow had to roam the streets a fully functioning, fighting male for so long. Given the fact that his face was in such rough shape when he arrived, Dr. Jen thought naming him Montana (think Scarface) was more than appropriate, though at his recheck exam three weeks later, his facial fur was growing in very nicely, covering the gooey grossness he was sporting when they first met. In fact, this sweetheart healed so remarkably well that to look at him now you’d never know what injuries he had once sustained.
Indoor life suits Montana to a ‘T’, and he has acclimated to his surroundings better than we all had anticipated, given his history. Here are some astute observations from our volunteers:
“Montana is a pretty laid-back guy, but does have a tendency to get a little upset at times if another cat gets in his way. He loves people, attention, and just hanging out in the windowsill. He’s a nice, big, solid boy and would make the perfect cat for a household with older kids who would know to respect his space.”
“Montana is a very chill boy. He doesn’t do much other than perch himself on a windowsill and watch birds all day long. He keeps to himself most of the time, but he doesn’t mind sharing his preferred perch with a cat or two, so he could probably live with or without a buddy. He’s not one to look for attention, but he is very accepting of love when you seek him out. He has a tendency to nip when he’s had enough of you, so he should probably go to a home without young children.”
Overall we are very pleased with his progress in the time we have had him—it’s not even three weeks after he became a Sid’s Kid that we are sharing his story. We are enjoying watching him transform into a silky, stunning (former) stud, but even more so, we are delighting in how happy he simply is enjoying his view of the world, now from the inside out. To see him lounge on the floor with his legs stretched out in front of him, relaxing and soaking in the sun, accepting a gentle head scratch or back stroke brings us all so much joy; after all, this boy right here deserves all of the pampering he can get!
More about Montana:
Domestic short hair
Large
Black & White (Tuxedo)
Adult
Male
House-trained
FIV+
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Prefers a home without other cats, children
Want to adopt Montana? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
It is a bit of a convoluted journey as to how this totally adorable classic tabby made it to Dr. Jen (finally) on May 6, 2019. Evidently he was found wandering around the parking lot of the Meijer on 54th and Clyde Park, just down the road from the vet clinic, and he was picked up by a woman who then took him home on the city bus.
Somehow she contacted none other than one of our regular rescuers, who then transported him to the Humane Society of West Michigan as we were full up at Crash’s, and she has a withstanding ‘in’ with them as far as placing strays is concerned. However, he tested positive for Feline Leukemia, so she took him right back on home, contacted Dr. Jen and asked if the good doc could do his medical work-up. Dr. Jen actually ended up doing one better, offering to take him, sight unseen, into our program at Big Sid’s.
The two-year-old (born in the spring of 2017) IMMEDIATELY took Dr. Jen’s heart for his own, along with every single person he made contact with at the clinic and sanctuary alike. It really bummed us all out that such a sweetheart had the bad luck to carry the virus, but since he was an intact male when found, it wasn’t surprising—sad, but not totally unexpected.
Once at our free-roaming, fun-loving facility Tyrion found his place easily and quickly started entertaining not only himself but any audience he could command:
“Tyrion is a non-stop, action-loving cat. He will chase a ping pong ball up and down the hall for hours on end, but playtime is even better when another cat will wrestle with him. He has a few ‘besties’ who are usually down for some hardcore, rough-and-tumble; in fact, they can get so into it that we actually have to make them stop out of fear they will unintentionally hurt each other. He would do amazing with kids!”
“Tyrion is one of our most popular guys. He’s always up for adventures and activities— and soaks up any attention he can get from us. He does play a little too rough with the other cats at times, but we are hoping time and his calming collar help him lighten up a bit. He’s got a lot of energy and will need kids that will tire him out at the end of the day. He would do well in a home with another cat buddy, one who matches his energy level and will stand up to him, and maybe even a playful dog. His exuberance and ebullience knows NO bounds!”
As you can imagine, we are all as pleased as punch that his personality is so over-the-top and outgoing, as this type of kitty holds a lot of appeal to high-energy families. And at his four-week follow-up appointment, he tested NEGATIVE for Feleuk—not once, but twice, on our in-house test AND through our outside lab.
However, we have learned the hard way that this first round of diagnostics is an excellent screening test, but there can be false negatives, so in cases where a prior positive cat then turns up virus-free, Dr. Jen now sends out a specialized (and, of course, more expensive test) to confirm. This type of test is far more specific and has less margin of error, so when it came back negative, it was a major cause for celebration.
This terrific tabby is not going to be with us at Crash’s long, mark our words, as he is simply too awesome to pass by!
More about Tyrion:
Medium
Tabby (Tiger-Striped)
Adult
Male
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Good in a home with other cats, dogs, kids
Want to adopt Tyrion? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
While making her rounds feeding the ferals on Dunham off of Fuller on the southeast side of town in May of 2019, a rescuer came across this spayed and four-paw declawed girl who obviously had been abandoned. Without any natural defenses except her teeth, she was a prime candidate for picking up transmissible diseases like Feline Leukemia; sadly, it was too late — by the time she was taken in, the damned virus had already made its presence known, though it wouldn’t show up on her blood test until a recheck exam later in the month.
When we first met this lovely kitty (born in May of 2016, we guesstimate), she had a pretty nasty infection going on in her right eye and needed a tooth pulled; it took a few weeks of recuperating at her rescuer’s home and topical meds to get the conjunctivitis under control, but by the time we had an opening at our sanctuary in mid-June, Sansa’s gorgeous green eye was no longer swollen or inflamed. Although we were upset that she harbored the leukemia virus, the rest of her lab work was normal, and she had put on excellent weight since she was taken off the streets. Regardless of her time spent homeless, she is as sweet as spun sugar, yet solid and sturdy like her namesake. In a word, Sansa is spectacular.
Sansa is such a people-pleaser and meshed with our furry fold at Big Sid’s so easily. Just read what one of our volunteers had to say about her:
“Sansa is a little doll! She spends a good portion of her day watching birds and squirrels outside, but when she gets lonely, she walks around talking until she finds someone to hang out with, as she loves, loves, loves human attention of any kind. She’s quite the talker at times, a congenial little chatterbox with the most darling face, even when it is in motion. She has a very sweet disposition and has already been seen cuddled up twice sound asleep next to our big tough guy, Gibson. I think she’d get along great with other cats and would do well in any home.”
We don’t feel that having the virus is going to label Sansa as a difficult-to-adopt-kitty, as her personality and charm make her absolutely irresistible. Ideally we’d like to find her a catdom of her own to rule, but a house with felines of her own kind would be excellent too, as we all know every queen needs her court!
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
In April of 2019, a Freeland resident found this ADORABLE and outrageously outgoing fella (born in the spring of 2017) wandering around her house. He was so stinkin’ sweet that she couldn’t help but bring him in and fall hopelessly in love with him, but when he tested positive for Feline Leukemia, she realized she and her husband weren’t going to be in a position to keep him permanently. She emailed Dr. Jen to inquire about intake, and approximately a month later, Renly made his way to us. He passed his initial exam at the vet clinic with flying colors, with the exception of still retesting positive for FELV, so Dr. Jen sent him on down to Big Sid’s to meet his new roomies—and the volunteers who would be caring for him at our sanctuary.
It honestly takes all of two seconds for anyone who meets him to be enamored by his charm and enthusiasm for life; he is just so darned happy to be indoors, surrounded by people who will stop what they are doing to pet him, lift him up and carry him around. In fact, we’ve been told the following about our gorgeous, gregarious guy:
“Renly is so sweet! He is happiest being held like a baby and often demands to be picked up. He is very active and busy, always seems to be getting in to things and following volunteers around. He doesn’t really care about other cats at all, he really just wants to be around people. His rescuer said he really loves dogs. He would be amazing with kids!
“Renly is a very busy boy! He loves to run up and down the halls looking for anyone willing to play with him. He really enjoys toys, boxes, and anything he can chase. He’s one cat that enjoys being picked up and held. I have seen him be a little possessive of his food while eating with the others, but with time and patience he will do just fine with another cat or two. I’d love to see him in a home with kids that he can run and play with.”
Look at that face. Just look at it.
We have no doubt that if he was virus-free, Renly would be scooped up instantly after posting his bio, but sadly this throws a wrench into things, since he can transmit the disease to others of the feline kind through bodily fluids (sharing dishes and litter boxes, grooming and rough play where biting could occur). However, we are confident that the right person is going to come along, gather him up into their loving arms and make him their very own, virus be damned.
He is such an amazing, adventurous and downright gleeful fella that whomever opts to take him home is going to be one of THE luckiest cat owners in our little corner of the world!
More about Renly:
Domestic Short Hair
Orange & White
Adult
Male
Medium
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
FELV+
Good in a home with other cats, dogs, children
Want to adopt Renly? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
On March 2nd and again on March 17th, we had what we believe to be an entire family of terrified cats dumped off in carriers. ‘The Shy Seven’ were the first to arrive, and then three more joined us, rounding things out to ‘The Timid Ten’. Needless to say, it was a huge ordeal for all involved, from the stunned volunteers who kept pulling cat after cat out of cramped carriers, to the traumatized kitties who had no idea what was going on, and finally to Dr. Jen who spent the greater part of two weekends at the clinic getting them program-ready.
The latter was no small feat, as every single cat (yup, all ten of them) were intact, four of the five girls were pregnant, and all ten were clearly out of their element and having major trust issues. Adding various medical issues to the mix—like fleas and a variety of internal parasites, dental disease and chronic herpes virus—we ended up having a heaping handful of kitties who needed a great deal of help, not only physically, but probably more importantly, mentally.
It was clear from the onset that the family had been neglected and lacking human contact for quite some time, given their poor body condition, long nails and a shyness that went beyond anything we have seen before—and we have seen a lot. We have no idea where they came from or why someone thought it was a good idea to displace them as they did without regard for our space or financial capabilities, but our proposed scenario is this: a kindhearted, elderly person owned them and, for whatever reason, let them breed and multiply, running rampant in the house and growing wilder and warier as the days wore on. We suspect this person then passed (or moved away), and the cats were left to fend for themselves until a family member (or landlord) came in and booted the entire lot of them out—and onto our doorstep.
Regardless, we’d like to think they were loved by someone at some point, as this helps us believe in the goodness of people, enough so to offset the stupidity and callousness of others.
Let’s just say that for the most part, the journey we have all been on together is ever evolving—and it is going to be a long road full of bumps, setbacks and, yes, triumphs along the way. It is now over two months since their arrival, and we are just now able to share their stories, as it has taken a great deal of time (and patience) to get to this point.
We have had one shining star, jovial Jenn, who has been trying to pave the way for her siblings/uncles/cousins/aunts to follow, so really, we should have renamed the group as ‘The Timid Ten, Not Including Jenn’. She was the only girl who wasn’t or hadn’t been pregnant, as her reproductive tract was underdeveloped; just 15 months (born in later 2017, we think, along with Dean, Desna, Roller and Quiet Ann), she turned out to be quite the trailblazer, assuming the role of matriarch of her furry family.
Roller and Dean are best buddies
Dean and Roller are really good buddies, as they snuggle together all of the time. While Roller will let people pet him if they approach him slowly, Dean has made very little progress since he’s been with us. He is very comfortable here, though and is exploring more every day, although he typically runs right back into a hiding space as soon as someone enters the room. We think both of these boys will do very well in a home together once they had had ample time to bond with their owners.
At our free-roaming facility, cats like these have all of the time in the world to acclimate and adjust at their own rate—a snail’s pace if that is what is necessary. We have no cages, no time limits, no rules or regulations—each individual cat gets to stretch his legs at their own pace; each kitty gets to spread her furry little wings and fly when she is ready to leave the fold.
We offer a peaceful, secure environment to each and every cat in our care as long as they need it—and us. Slow and steady wins the race, and we firmly believe that with love, all things are possible; we surely can see endless possibilities and bright futures full of promise for this family of ours.
More about Dean:
Domestic Medium Hair
Tabby (tiger-striped)
Adult
Male
Medium
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Good in a home with other cats, no children
Want to adopt Dean? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
For those of you who know how much joy Dr. Jen takes from naming our kitties, you realize that she takes her time in getting to know each cat before making a final decision on what to call him or her, and oftentimes the good doctor will make a play on words in homage to a specific attribute (or lack there of). Nothing delights her more than having someone crack up when they discover why she gave a cat the title she has, as a LOT of thought went into it.
So in March of 2019, when spritely little Sandi D. first brought in this newly neutered, fabulously fat-headed, 3-1/2-year-old (born in the fall of 2015), Dr. Jen had to chuckle when this moniker appeared to fall down from the heavens and land solidly in her lap.
As the story goes, he had been hanging around the same southwest Grand Rapids neighborhood that brought us Churro and Burdock, so our red-headed rescue machine set out her live trap in hopes of getting him off the streets. After a successful venture, she carted him off to C-SNIP for long-overdue neutering and then took him back home to get him used to the idea of being an indoor cat.
It took this kitty a few weeks to be brave enough to come out of his wine box cubby, but once he did, he greeted her only with a few hisses that really were more for effect than anything. She coaxed him into her good graces with canned food, and slowly he began to open up to her, but suddenly he fell ill and stopped eating for three days, so he headed back to the clinic.
As it turns out, not only was he suffering from inflammation/infection of the bile ducts within his liver, but the poor guy tested positive for Feline Leukemia (he was negative the month prior). Treatment was undertaken and within a few days he had bounced back completely, ready to head on down to our sanctuary to join our residents.
It is a bit of an understatement to say that people were immediately drawn to his stunning, smashing good looks, but it has taken him quite a bit of time to warm up to the fact that people want to see him—and love on him. Slowly but surely, our volunteers have made excellent progress, to the point that they can now say this about Dunkin No-nuts:
“Dunkin is very quiet and shy, but also very sweet. He has a favorite spot in a cubby and doesn’t really move from that room. He does really like it when people come up to him and give him some love, and I think he would do great in a home where he is able to bond with his owner over time. He needs a quiet home with no kids or loud dogs. He doesn’t seem to really care about the other cats at all, so he could probably live with or without them.”
“Dunkin—in a perfect world, he would be best buddies with Ellston, since they resemble each other and make a handsome duo, but unfortunately, they don’t really care for each other. Dunkin is extremely shy and reserved and is usually found hunkered down low in a cubby just watching from the sidelines. He is super-sweet to us and actually likes to be held but will go right back to his hidey-hole when you put him down. To me, he’s one of those cats that is just too overwhelmed with all the other cats. He’s not aggressive in any way, just prefers to be left alone. He’d do well in a home with older kids, no dogs, and maybe one other cat.”
Since the virus is transmissible, ideally we would like to find him a home where he will be the only cat, and given his gentle personality, we feel this would be greatly beneficial and allow him the security and space he needs to blossom. He is such a LOVELY boy!
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
Dr. Jen had waited an awfully long time to find the perfect cat to name Pepe LePew, so when Sandi D. (volunteer and friend to all ferals and homeless cats) brought this spectacular specimen to Dr. Jen in early March, 2019, she knew she had found the cat she had been patiently pining for!
Not only was this 3-year-old (born in March of 2016) a stunning tuxedo, but he was extremely stinky, since he was all boy. We didn’t have an opening yet at Crash’s, but Sandi is well prepared to accommodate the wayward souls she picks up off the streets, so she fostered him in her home until we were able to take him into our program on April 11th.
And there was no question on anyone’s mind as to exactly why Dr. Jen bestowed such a moniker on him, as he was still quite malodorous—though totally adorable—upon arrival into our program.
Once at Crash’s, Pepe made himself at home, quickly winning over the volunteers with his stunning looks and spunky attitude. Here is what two of our cat care team members had to say about our beautiful black-and-white, sharp-dressed man:
“ Pepe—he’s adorable and it’s always tempting to scoop him up but he’s a little on the sassy side, and will squirm/swat until he’s put down. He’s young, playful, and maybe a bit of a stinker, but I think as he gets older he would learn to settle down and actually enjoy human affection. He’s a very handsome guy, and I have a feeling he won’t be with us long. A home with older kids, and maybe a dog to buddy up with would be perfect.”
Courtesy Crash’s Landing
“Pepe is a very social guy. He always has to be the center of attention. He does tend to bite a little when he gets overstimulated or when you are doing something he doesn’t like, such as being combed, so it would be best if he goes to a home without young children—older children though would be great for him. He also probably needs a buddy to play with.”
We find it funny that he has been described as a stinker, inside and out, which makes him all the more endearing in our opinion. As you can clearly see, he can also be inquisitive, laid-back and super social, a fantastic combination of traits to possess!
More about Pepe:
Domestic Medium Hair
Black & White/Tuxedo
Adult
Male
Medium
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Good in a home with other cats, older children
Want to adopt Pepe? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
In June of 2015, friend to ferals (and our volunteer) Sandi D. was helping a co-worker TNR (trap-neuter-return) some stray cats living in her southeast side neighborhood when she came across this smashing, dashing boy, whom she initially thought was a girl. CSNIP (Community Spay/Neuter Initiative Program) ‘snipped’ him and sent him back to Sandi with a recommendation to treat an eye infection he had.
Unable to turn him back outside with medical issues, and fully thinking he was a wild child, she asked Gina from Focus on Ferals to help. So Gina took him in and housed him, treating his eye and socializing him; a month later she tested him and he turned up FIV+. Sweet and social, there wasn’t a mean bone in this guy’s big body (over 14#); he was probably just overwhelmed and not feeling too well when he and Sandi first met.
Sandi is in contact with Gina often as they work closely together doing TNR, and when fall turned to winter and her boy was still waiting for a place to call his own, she asked if we would consider taking him into our program. We have a pretty good adoption rate at Big Sid’s, especially for super-handsome, stunners like Harold, and wanted to give Gina a bit more room at her place.
We took this fine fella (born in late 2010) into our sanctuary on Nov. 16, 2018, after a bit of dental work was done at the clinic. Initially Sandi had named her black beauty ‘Mario’, but since we already had a Sid’s Kid with that name and coloring, Dr. Jen asked if she could name him something else; they just happened to be at our annual Whiskers and Wine fundraiser when they chatted, and since Sandi was accompanied by her long-time beau Harold, it seemed like a no-brainer.
From the second Harold stepped foot on the premises, he was comfortable and at ease, eager to meet and greet all newcomers and current residents. Our cat care director immediately fell in love with his gentle ways, his calm demeanor and his mellow vibe. He loves just hanging out with the gang, patiently awaiting the arrival of the volunteers who shower him with love and attention, which he soaks up like a super-silky, raven-haired sponge.
Harold couldn’t be nicer or more well-adjusted, and we honestly couldn’t be happier that he is ours. We hope that Big Sid’s is simply a stepping stone for Harold, who will hop, skip and jump his way to bigger and better things (though our place is paw-some), as a cat this marvelous deserves to be doted upon in a home of his own.
More about Harold:
Domestic Short Hair
Adult
Male
Extra large
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
FIV-positive
Neutered
Not declawed
Want to adopt Harold? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
On Jan. 23, 2019, Dr. Jen’s co-worker, Allie got a text from a friend who had come across this bedraggled but beautiful intact boy near Burton and Division. She promptly got him out of harm’s way and dropped him off at Allie’s so she could bring him in to the clinic the next morning for evaluation.
The fabulous, yet filthy 4-1/2-year-old fella (born in the summer of 2014) was suffering from a nasty skin infection on his back, severe yellowing of his fur from being outside for so long, a puncture wound above his left eye that was causing it to swell, and a smaller one in the inner corner of his right eye. Antibiotics, multiple baths and, of course, long-overdue neutering got him on the right track, but if truth be told, he was still quite smelly (male hormones!), so he hung out at the clinic for a few days before Dr. Jen sent him down to our sanctuary. At that time, given his obvious history of tussling, it wasn’t a surprise that he tested FIV-positive
Over the course of the next four weeks, Hoobastank hunkered down and settled in seamlessly, abandoning whatever tomcat tendencies he may have had:
“This gorgeous guy is a super-friendly and sweet big pile of fluff. When he first came to us, he tended to get picked on a little, but the others seem to have been leaving him alone. He’s a bit docile when it comes to too much action around him, but over time he is getting better.
“He loves napping up by the kitchen window, which is ironic because he really doesn’t care for what we serve in the kitchen—he just prefers his dry kibble and Temptations. Due to his slight timidity, he may do best in a home with no other pets where he doesn’t feel threatened. Kids would be perfect for him, or retired couple or person who would have plenty of time to spend one-on-one with him.”
When Dr. Jen retested him at his one-month recheck at the clinic, he came back FIV-negative. It appears that the bite he received caused his body to produce antibodies to the virus as it was introduced into his bloodstream, but thankfully his immune system was strong enough to fight the infection off. This is fantastic news as adopting out a cat from Crash’s historically has been much easier than from Big Sid’s, though we pride ourselves on just how awesome our Sid’s Kids are and promote the heck out of them.
Regardless of his viral status, Hoobastank is a favorite of ours and we have no doubt that finding him his forever home will not be difficult. Just look at that fabulous face this super friendly guy has—and it can be all yours for loving and snuggling!
More about Hoobastank:
Domestic Short Hair / Black & White / Tuxedo
Adult
Male
Large
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Good in a home with other cats, children
Want to adopt Hoobastank? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!
Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To
take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids
area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming,
no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be
found.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
Wyoming resident Brenda R. is no stranger to the strays that populate her neighborhood; in fact over the years we have taken in quite a few wayward souls that thankfully fell under her care. She contacted Dr. Jen right after Valentine’s Day 2019 when an emaciated, darling but dirty intact male (born in late summer of 2017) crossed her path. The poor boy had obtained a bite wound to his tail when he tried to hang out with two feisty females that didn’t take kindly to his intrusion on their food bowls.
Part of the reason Crumbs was so skinny and felt as though he was starving was due to the fact he had internal tapeworms, so Dr. Jen treated him for the nasty little buggers, tended to his wound, got him neutered, tested, vaccinated and all spiffed up. A few days later Dr. Jen sent him on down to Crash’s, where he IMMEDIATELY became a volunteer favorite, so she enlisted the help of his new BFF’s to enlighten everyone on just how awesome he is:
“Crumbs is an adorable little guy that quickly became friends with everyone. He tends to hang back when there’s a lot of commotion but is right there underfoot when he knows there’s food involved. He doesn’t mind being picked up and held, he loves playing with laser toys, and enjoys his naps cuddled up next to his friends. He’d do great in any home, especially one with kids.
“Crumbs is a very happy and social boy. He loves being around people and gets along great with all of his buddies at the shelter. The only thing he likes more than being the center of attention is endless bowls of canned food. I can’t think of a home where he wouldn’t do well, he’s just that perfect.”
About three weeks into his stay with us, our beloved buff-and-white boy fell ill with symptoms of Calici virus, a highly contagious respiratory illness that unvaccinated cats are very susceptible to. He developed an acute fever and painful tongue ulcers that caused excessive drooling, but even in the thick of it all he surprised us all by pounding down bowl after bowl of delicious canned food.
Since he was hospitalized at the clinic again (for narcotics to control his discomfort and antibiotics to prevent secondary bacterial infection) Dr. Jen opted to retest him a week earlier than planned, and discovered that the bite wounds he had sustained prior to his arrival had transmitted the FIV virus to him. When it was time to send him back to our facility, he took up residence on the other side of our building, officially becoming a Sid’s Kid.
No worries though, as Crumbs once again made instant furry friends, and even when he was so sick with Calici, he wanted to be in the middle of everything. Although it bummed us all out to learn of his new viral status, we have no doubt that our charming, outgoing little fella is going to get himself adopted, as he hasn’t an ounce of mean coursing through his veins, and he absolutely loves everyone he comes into contact with.
It is no doubt crummy (we couldn’t resist) all that has befallen our buddy here, but in true form he takes whatever comes his way in stride and is absolutely thriving indoors, where he was always meant to be.
More about Crumbs:
Domestic Short Hair / Buff & White
Adult
Male
Medium
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
FIV-positive
Good in a home with other cats, children
Want to adopt Crumbs? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!
Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To
take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids
area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming,
no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be
found.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
Holy moly, did it take a long time (and a massive effort) to corral this badly injured boy and convince him (and others) that he needed to be taken in out of harm’s way.
About two years ago, this three-year-old, intact male (born in early 2016) took to wandering around a Wyoming apartment complex, befriending a few of the residents who let him in from time to time. Then in the summer of 2018, he was terribly traumatized, most likely the victim of a nasty cat fight that caused his initial neck wound.
It seems that some of the residents had taken a shine to our boy, but instead of seeking medical care for him, they let nature take its course and went so far as to insist that he needed to stay put as ‘their’ outdoor cat; they would miss him too much if he were gone. Finally, his skin had progressively been damaged over the harsh, horrible winter we had, and he was brought in for long overdue medical attention.
Dr. Jen has smelled a lot of foul things in her career as a veterinarian, but this matted, chronically abscessed and necrotic skin flap was a doozy! Once anesthetized and prepped for surgery, the good doctor gently cut away the nasty, useless chunk of skin that was overlaying a 4-5 cm open wound, with another full-thickness hole present beneath. After flushing and debriding the wound site, Dr. Jen started this kitty on broad-spectrum antibiotics and pain medication, then set about neutering, conducting internal and external parasite control, administering vaccines, bathing (repeatedly to remove layers of grime), and testing.
It was no surprise that Donut tested positive for FIV, a transmissible feline virus acquired from deep puncture/bite wounds, disheartening but not unexpected. By the time he was done being brushed and blow-dried, he looked like a million bucks, albeit one missing a huge section of flesh.
Although his recovery was routine, the next morning Dr. Jen was not greeted by the happy, hungry hunk she left the night before, but a depressed kitty with an elevated respiratory rate who was lying in his feces—and very subdued while she re-bathed him. Dr. Jen was concerned about a reaction to the drugs used to sedate him or, more importantly, an underlying cardiomyopathy, so she ran a specialized test that showed elevated levels of an enzyme we can see in cats with heart disease.
Thankfully, after a course of subcutaneous fluids and the passing of a very large bowel movement laden with roundworms, this guy immediately perked up, his breathing resumed normal, and he was back to filling his face. A few days later, Dr. Jen sent him off to Sid’s with a vial of topical Silvadene cream in tow to be applied to his skin defects twice daily. Although an instant fan of belly rubs, Donut was understandably weary of any sort of human contact involving his head, so there was a bit of a learning curve for everyone involved. However, over the course of the next four weeks, his healing plugged along at a good clip, and although he will sport one heck of a scar, overall he really is none the worse for wear.
The majority of the time Dr. Jen spent with Donut was at the clinic, so she wanted to get a more in depth summary of his personality and observations made by his caretakers for his biography:
“I can’t say enough good things about him,” said one volunteer. “He absolutely loves all the comforts of indoor life. He’s crazy about wet food, treats, and humans. While taking care of his neck wound, he’s been nothing short of a gentleman, just sits and waits patiently for the treats at the end. He really does love people, knows his name already, and is starting to follow us around. He was slow to venture out of his safe place/room, but he knows he’s safe now, and has been strutting around with confidence. He can be a little selfish and push his way through when I’m interacting with him and a few of the other cats, but he’s not aggressive about it; he’s just trying to make upon for lost time.
“Donut has come such a long way since he came in. He has turned into a very sweet boy who absolutely loves his new life of luxury. He can still be pretty reserved and prefers to snuggle up in a cubby, but if you sit and talk to him or offer him a few treats he will come right out for attention. He loves canned food more than anything else and probably will eat until he explodes if you let him! He doesn’t seem to care at all about the other cats, so he could probably live with or without them. He would do great in a quiet home without kids, one where he could be the center of quiet, gentle attention.”
Now that you have read all about this amazing creature, ‘do-nut ya wanna’ take him home and make him your very own?
More about Donut:
Domestic Short Hair / Gray & White
Adult
Male
Large
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
FIV-positive
Good in a home with other cats
Prefers a home without children
Want to adopt Donut? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!
Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To
take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids
area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming,
no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be
found.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
In mid-December 2018, a ‘rescue regular’ came across this stunning black-smoke-and-winter-white tom cat hanging out near one of her feral feeding stations in downtown Grand Rapids. Never one to leave an unneutered male behind, she promptly got him corralled and into CSNIP, then took him home in the hopes of helping him acclimate to indoor living by setting him up in one of her many kitty condos.
Try as she might, the fearful 5-year-old (born in early 2014) just wouldn’t adjust to her gentle touch and soothing voice, and returning him to the not-so-great outdoors was out of the question.
So when she brought him in two months after his rescue for Dr. Jen to evaluate, she agreed to letting us give it a shot at Crash’s, since we have droves of doting volunteers who are pros at working diligently with the most timid of kitties. Maybe with the collective efforts of so many, Burdock would emerge from his cocoon, start to relax and enjoy life a little bit.
A month into his stay with us at Crash’s, he is still a work in progress, just as we expected him to be. Burdock is ever-so-painstakingly slowly starting to feel comfortable at the shelter, but he still terrified and very wary of people. He gets quite nervous when you climb up to the cat walk where he is hiding out, but he will let you pet him if you approach him calmly and quietly. We have caught him out walking around a few times in the middle of the day, but as soon as he sees anyone he is right back up to the cat walk; to try to socialize him we have been carrying him around the shelter with him in our arms.
His metamorphosis is going to require a great deal of patience, but we believe that he does have it in him to come out of the safety of his shell of self-preservation, overcome his fear and evolve into a confident cat. He’s not aggressive in any way, just intimidated by the other cats and his new surroundings, so we will give him all the time in the world and let him set a pace he is comfortable with. We can’t begin to imagine what on earth happened to him before he was rescued, but we have years worth of neglect to make up for, and a slow and steady approach is going to be paramount with Burdock.
We are all going to be by his side, coaxing him every step of the way until one fine day, he realizes the potential he has harbored within himself all along; what a grand day that will be for all of us!
More about Burdock:
Domestic Medium Hair
Adult
Male
Large
Black & White / Tuxedo
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Good in a home with other cats
Prefers a home without dogs, children
Want to adopt Burdock? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!
Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To
take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids
area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming,
no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be
found.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
In late January of 2019, Dr. Jen received an email from concerned cat lovers in Olivet who had befriended a very adorable, outgoing — albeit intact — male who showed up several weeks before. He had taken to hanging out on their back porch, meowing at them through the window, so they put food out for him (and an opossum buddy it seems), and he repaid their kindness by purring, head-butting and rubbing up against the husband and wife.
They took to the Charlotte Facebook pages to see if anyone had lost this orange kitty, but the only replies received were that people had seen him around as he had spent the summer at the Sherwood Forest campgrounds begging for handouts. As the weather turned colder, they made him a house on their porch and set him up with heated dishes, but when it dipped dangerously below zero, they were compelled to take him indoors.
Sadly, once he was let back out, he got into a huge fight with another feral in the area; then only a few days later, a dog attacked him; he wasn’t eating well and was looking rough, so they took him in to their vet for treatment—and discovered he was FIV+. Not having the room or cash flow for a fourth cat, and not wanting to entertain the morbid thought of having him euthanized as recommended, they reached out to us for assistance.
Since he was such a gentle cat who wasn’t phased in the least by the presence of the household kitties, even when being hissed at, they felt he deserved every chance at finding himself an indoor home that could better accommodate him. In the meantime, they boarded him at the vet’s office until they could make the trip over to us (the weather simply wasn’t obliging). On Feb. 4th, we eagerly opened our doors to the 3-1/2 year old (born in the summer of 2015), a striking, sturdy hunk aptly named Sherwood.
As is customary, Dr. Jen always does her own medical work-up when a cat enters into our program at either shelter, so she set to work on treating a multitude of issues: a bilateral ear infection with a deep left pinna laceration; an abraded and infected scrotal sac (ouchie!) that made neutering a bit of a challenge; there were small, scabby chin wounds; his upper right canine tooth had also been fractured but didn’t need extracting, thankfully.
Sherwood is still a bit shy, but he’ll warm up once he has a home of his own
By the next morning, he was feeling lots better and Dr. Jen felt he was ready to head on down to our sanctuary to start living the cushy life at the hands of our volunteers who were ready to spoil him. Initially, this 13-pound fella was quite shy, preferring to spend most of his time in one of our cozy cat cubbies, only venturing out primarily at night when the shelter was quiet and calm. But he is starting to settle in nicely and is exploring more readily. His favorite pastime, besides eating, is chilling on one of our many windowsills watching the birds come to the feeders, though he also is quite fond of being spoken softly to and is very accepting of head scratches.
He isn’t quite sure of being picked up yet, and when he gets to feeling overwhelmed by too much commotion, he will hiss and retreat to one of his safe places. We all collectively feel that he would do well in a home with another cat, though it isn’t mandatory, but that small kids would be too much for him. We also think that in time he will become an avid fan of lap lounging, though now he is perfectly content to hunker down here with us where it is safe, warm and canned food flows freely.
Ultimately, Sherwood sure would love to find himself a home of his own, but he is a happy lil’ indoor camper currently loving this new life of his!
More about Sherwood:
Large
Domestic Short Hair — Orange & White
Adult
Male
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Not declawed
Good in a home with other cats
Prefers a home without children
Want to adopt Sherwood? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!
Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To
take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids
area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming,
no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be
found.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
Fabulous four-year-old Levon (born in the summer of 2014) came to us in late July, 2018 as a FIV+ transfer from the Humane Society of Mid-Michigan in Montcalm County. Seems that this dapper tabby arrived at their facility in March, but given his viral status, they weren’t making any progress on promoting his adoption; when their shelter space became limited they asked us for help in housing him and giving him better opportunities for adoption exposure.
One of our dual volunteers transported him to the vet clinic where Dr. Jen did her typical intake work-up and happily discovered he was FIV-negative. However as (bad) luck would have it, he was free-roaming in an area with other FIV+ kitties and had suffered a bite wound that no one there was aware of until she examined him (he purred the entire time), so she had to schedule another retest a month later; at that time he retested positive once again.
Cats with strong immune systems can actually clear the infection from their bodies, but since there is no effective vaccine against it, he picked it up once again after three punctures wounds on his tail drove the virus into his bloodstream. So after spending a month at Crash’s, at the writing of his bio he has become a Sid’s Kid; in a month another test will be performed to see where he will take up permanent residence until he can find a home of his very own and stop shuffling around.
The interesting thing is that initially Levon was a tough nut to crack, as he wasn’t a happy camper given the fact that his bite wounds had to be tended to twice daily and were taking their time healing, but once he was moved over to Sid’s he was like a different cat! He hooked up with a few cats with whom he formed fast friendships and began to socialize, versus hanging out on the toddler beds or sitting on the windowsills by himself; though he was quite content to engage in those solo activities, we are thrilled that he has found his niche.
And he shall be a good cat…
There is more space at Sid’s but there is also a larger population, so we can’t help but chalk up his change in attitude—his finally showing everyone the softer side Dr. Jen was privy to while he was at the clinic—to the fact that his injuries didn’t require further medical attention. Levon also doesn’t have Hamish the Handful to contend with, a tabby that can be quite the terror when he is feeling sassy and saucy (which is most of the time, so he has settled in quite nicely and is no longer trying to become a big fish in a small pond.
Now that he has found his purr again, you get to hear it not just when we approach him, but when he hunkers down next to you. He isn’t fond of being picked up, nor is he one to actively seek out human attention that often, but if given to him he is now happily accepting and affectionate in return, versus trying to high-tail it on outta there. We have no doubt that the more time he spends with us simply getting to enjoy himself as a resident versus a patient, he will fall as in love with his human caretakers as we all have with him.
Levon is a good cat who deserves a home of his own, with good feline company, an older kid or two and perhaps even a mellow dog—and a little Elton John music thrown in there for good measure.
More about Levon:
Large
Domestic Short Hair & Tabby Mix (Tiger-striped)
Adult
Male
House-trained
FIV-positive
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Not declawed
Good in a home with other cats, children
Want to adopt Levon? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!
Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
In October of 2018, rescue phenom Sandi D. set her sights on a super shy guy who had been running around Ionia St. in downtown Grand Rapids since the spring. Ever elusive, it took a large carrier loaded with canned food and the quick reflexes of our fiery little redhead to trap him so that she could get him neutered; at that time it was clear he was far too weary of humans, so she released him in his neighborhood and kept feeding and looking after him.
By December he had grown much friendlier and was allowing her to pet him, so when he fell ill with an upper respiratory infection right around Christmas she told him he had no choice—he was going home with her. Antibiotics, a warm environment and as much TLC as he would allow helped Rochester recover fully. We have a strong feeling that this timid tabby and white guy had been living on the streets for most of his life (he was born in late 2015 we guesstimate), so it was quite a culture shock to now have a pint-sized servant who doted on him.
We welcomed him into our program at Crash’s on Jan. 7th, and since then, Rochester has been slowly acclimating to his new and improved indoor life. At the writing of his bio a month later, our impressions of him show a cat possessing a lot of promise, with patience and perseverance being paramount to his reaching his full potential.
He’s still extremely shy and doesn’t interact much with the other cats, but he loves people’s attention. He’s always up high looking down with those timid eyes until he sees someone climb the stepladder and then he’s all about some belly rubs. He’s curious about what is going on, but he’s still not quite ready to join the others.
He’d make a great buddy for older kids because he’s still a bit unsure and is working on having more courage. We don’t think he’d have any problem living with one other cat, but no dogs as he’s fearful of loud noises and commotion.
Although there are a lot of blanks about Rochester’s life that will never get filled in, one thing we do know for sure is that from here on out he is guaranteed to want for nothing in his life, will be surrounded by the most dedicated and caring individuals we know, and ultimately will find the home he was always meant to have.
More about Rochester:
Large
Domestic Short Hair — Tabby (Tiger Striped), White
Adult
Male
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Not declawed
Prefers a home without dogs or children
Want to adopt Rochester? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!
Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To
take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids
area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming,
no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be
found.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
We are not kidding you when we say that mighty Moe is undeniably one of THE most beautiful cats we have, both inside and out, the total package of purr-fection! Born in the fall of 2015, this magnificent creature came to us via a Sheridan couple that befriended and took him in last October.
Although they were absolutely in love with him (who isn’t?!) when he tested positive for FIV they were concerned with the risk of infection to their four current cats and contacted a friend who volunteers with us; we agreed to admit this handsome fella into our furry fold at Big Sid’s without hesitation. At their home he was proving to be a bit of a handful, so we don’t blame them for seeking alternative placement, but once he padded his pretty little paws into our place, Moe was all about minding his manners, mingling and meshing with his new roomies (all 49 of them)!
The general opinion regarding our new addition is as follows: “Moe is a fantastic guy! He immediately made himself right at home in our shelter and has loved every single second with us. He’s a busy guy who always seems to be right in the middle of the action. He gets along great with the other cats, but he could definitely live as an only cat too. He would be excellent with children.”
“Moe is so sweet, and is just an all around happy cat. He loves to follow us around, and enjoys being scooped up and held. He gets along great with all his new friends. He would be perfect in a home with kids-he’s very playful, and has shown no signs of aggression whatsoever. He’s quickly become a volunteer favorite.”
This majestic creature has rendered us completely smitten, and we seriously doubt he is going to grace us with his phenomenal presence very long.
More about Moe:
Large
Domestic Medium Hair
Tabby (Brown/Chocolate, Tiger-striped)
Adult
Male
House-trained
FIV-positive
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Not declawed
Good in a home with other cats, children
Want to adopt Moe? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!
Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
We certainly have a lot of gorgeous guys here at our sanctuary, but magnificent Marcellus (born in late 2015) is by far one of THE CUTEST cats around! We were fortunate enough to have been contacted by Dr. Paula Sauer from Schoolcraft Veterinary Clinic in December of 2018, when a client of hers brought this adorable stray cat that turned out to be FIV+. So she and her team took him in and gave him all of the necessary veterinary care (including neutering him) and contacted Dr. Jen to see if we perhaps had a space for this fantastic feline. On December 11th she drove him on up to the clinic, where he and Dr. Jen spent a few days getting to know each other.
Marcellus is an absolute doll, as darling as they come and as sweet as pie. More than likely he was the victim of unfortunate circumstance while he was out fending for himself and got bit by an infected cat; he is a faint positive for the virus. Although initially he was on the timid side, it didn’t take long for this magnificent specimen of a cat to find his brave side once down at Big Sid’s.
More about Marcellus:
Large
Medium coat length; Orange & white
Adult
Male
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
FIV+
Not declawed
Prefers a home without dogs, children
Want to adopt Marcellus? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!
Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
Pretty as a picture and as quiet as mouse is how Patrice came to us in mid-November of 2018, after having been rescued off of Putnam St. SW in downtown Grand Rapids. Born in late 2016, this stunning but shy tabby and white girl was one of many homeless cats that had been taking advantage of a feral cat feeding station; although she would enjoy meal time on a regular basis, her timid nature kept her tucked away from the humans that tried diligently to live-trap her to get her off of the streets.
Finally, persistence paid off and she was rescued, fixed and sheltered in her rescuer’s home. After a little over two weeks of R and R with a multitude of critters affectionately called ‘The Barnyard’, Patrice was ready to come to see Dr. Jen at the clinic. Initially she tested a very faint FIV+, which was fine as the plan was to eventually house her at our sanctuary. As luck would have it when she came back in a month later for her retest, she had cleared the virus from her system. Although still a bashful beauty, we felt it was time that Patrice head on down to our place for more socialization and schmoozing with our cats and crew.
It took this darling little lady quite a bit of time to settle comfortably in her new surroundings, but the patient, gentle hands of our doting volunteers won her over. As she comes out of her shell more and more, we get to see a sweet side of her that relishes attention; she won’t actively seek it out, but if you approach her while she is napping peacefully in her favorite teepee, she is all about head scratches and pets. In fact, once you start stroking her fur, she can’t get enough and practically begs you not to stop.
Patrice also likes to laze the day away in the comfort of a cozy cubby, where she can observe all of the activity and partake in the more mellow activities as she pleases. She really doesn’t seem to mind the other kitties, but it isn’t necessary she be placed into a home with another cat. We do know that small, rambunctious children would frighten her, so if a family with older, calmer kids falls in love with her, we feel that type of dynamic would better suit her needs. As long as her space is granted and respected and she isn’t forced to become a lap cat (that is going to take time and trust), she and her new family members will get along famously well; she simply needs time to feel safe, secure, accepted and adored for who she is.
More about Patrice:
Medium
Domestic Short Hair
Adult
Female
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Spayed
Not declawed
Prefers a home without children
Want to adopt Patrice? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!
Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW)
On Sept. 17, 2018, a super nice gal on the northwest side of Grand Rapids contacted Dr. Jen for help in placing a kitty she had rescued a week prior that turned up Feline Leukemia-positive. Although the rescuer was totally in love with the beautiful and bubbly teenager (born in February of 2018), she wasn’t comfortable adding a cat with this virus into her furry household; FELV+ can be transmitted through saliva (grooming, shared dishes) and blood (fighting), so unless a resident cat is fully vaccinated against the virus, it isn’t smart to intermingle the two.
Dr. Jen was more than thrilled to open our sanctuary doors to this little lass, and thankfully she did at that point in time as Juanita was terribly anemic; both antibiotics and steroids were started for a blood parasite that is common in stray cats who have either been flea infested or are immuno-compromised
Ten days later, Dr. Jen’s treatment was deemed a smashing success, and she was able to spay kitty, but another 10 days after that, Juanita came down with a highly transmissible respiratory infection (calicivirus) and was quarantined until her oral ulcers healed—poor girl could not catch a break! But no worries, as jovial Juanita is a sturdy, saucy kitty who is bound and determined to take what comes her way and kick it to the curb.
Ten days later, Dr. Jen’s treatment was deemed a smashing success, and she was able to spay kitty, but another 10 days after that, Juanita came down with a highly transmissible respiratory infection (calicivirus) and was quarantined until her oral ulcers healed—poor girl could not catch a break! But no worries, as jovial Juanita is a sturdy, saucy kitty who is bound and determined to take what comes her way and kick it to the curb.
Ten days later, Dr. Jen’s treatment was deemed a smashing success, and she was able to spay kitty, but another 10 days after that, Juanita came down with a highly transmissible respiratory infection (calicivirus) and was quarantined until her oral ulcers healed—poor girl could not catch a break! But no worries, as jovial Juanita is a sturdy, saucy kitty who is bound and determined to take what comes her way and kick it to the curb.
Since her arrival at Big Sid’s, it is safe to say that she has taken the place by storm, and that everyone (human and feline) is quite enamored by her:
“Juanita — what a little doll! She is such an outgoing little girl. She quickly made friends with just about everyone, and she and Eros have been seen chasing each other around the last few days, that is when she isn’t snuggled up napping with Gordo. She doesn’t have a mean bone in her pint-sized body. She loves to hang out up high on her favorite cat walk either looking down at everything going on when she isn’t directly involved in the activity.”
“If anyone is looking for a playful kitten-like cat, she would be perfect. She will require LOTS of feather toys as they are her absolute favorite.”
In all honesty, Juanita would be just about the perfect cat companion if it weren’t for the darned virus that could hold back her chances of being adopted. Cats with FELV can and often do live healthy, happy lives, and we have known dozens upon dozens over the years who have thrived, living well into late adulthood, so her viral status isn’t an immediate threat. Yes, certain living circumstances are required to house cats like Juanita, and education is key to understanding what the virus is all about and what to watch for as she ages, but she and all of our resident Sid’s Kids are some of the most loving, agreeable and affectionate cats around, and each of them deserves to end up in a home of their very own.
We know for a fact that Little Miss Sunshine here is going to add so much joy to her adopter’s life because she is simply so easy to fall hopelessly in love with and a hoot to engage, interact and play with!
More about Juanita:
Small
Domestic Short Hair, Black
Young
Female
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Spayed
FELV+
Not declawed
Good in a home with other cats, children
Want to adopt Juanita? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!
Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
When Dr. Jen first laid eyes on the strikingly stunning Leonard, she was impressed with how composed and sure of himself he was considering we were the third facility he had been in since June of 2018. Initially, he was transferred from Calhoun County to Focus on Ferals where it was discovered that he was FIV+. Having a bigger heart than space for these viral-bound cats, Gina committed to keeping him in her program with the hopes that someday soon there would be an opening for him at our sanctuary; luckily for them both, we were able to open our doors to the debonair Leonard Purrnstein in early August.
This muscular, 14-lb. lug (born in early 2014) was hungry for affection and couldn’t wait to repay our attention in kind with head butts and cuddle sessions. We’ve discovered that his favorite thing in the whole, wide world is wet food, wet food and more wet food—even more than people! In fact, he has become our little garbage disposal, cleaning up every single plate and bowl that the others leave behind. When he isn’t hanging out in the food prep area in our free-roaming shelter begging for handouts, he can be found snoozing away high upon a cat tree as, after all, a food coma is secondary to a full tummy.
Leonard really doesn’t care for the other cats, and at times he gets a bit too big for his britches and causes commotion, but he is surrounded by 49 other cats, so who can blame him. However, he has also has shown us his mellow, softer side so we feel that placing him in a home with a laid-back cat would be acceptable to him. Since FIV+ is transmitted through bite wounds, it is no wonder that being in close quarters with so many of the feline kind gets him a bit rattled, but food is an easy way to diffuse any tense situation with him.
Hopefully, he won’t leave our place much heavier than he arrived, but we figure he deserves a little spoiling given all that it took to get him here to us! We feel he would thrive in a home with kids and lots of things to climb; he may be part monkey, as the higher up he can get the happier he is. Overall, we adore Leonard, are enthralled by his intense good looks, and are thoroughly enjoying having him as an official Sid’s Kid until we find him his fur-ever home.
More about Leonard Purrnstein:
Medium
Domestic Short-haired Tabby (Tiger-striped), White
Adult
Male
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Not declawed
Good in a home with other cats, children
Want to adopt Leonard Purrnstein? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!
Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
We felt it best in this case to relay the story of who this fine fella is and how he came to be in his guardian angel’s own words, as Grey Catsby (born in August of 2013) came to us under different circumstances and under the assumption that he was feline leukemia-positive (he retested negative several times). Here is his story in Augusta’s words:
“Grey is a big boy, but he’s not overweight and doesn’t overeat, he is just big-boned at 16 pounds. He’d make a great companion as he is pretty chill, but he would prefer to be the only cat in the place. His brother must have harassed him quite a bit as he wouldn’t eat or have a treat for a long time until he’d made sure no other critter was around.
“He’s smart and trainable, a big fan of Greenies, catnip, chicken and Lickables, though he isn’t a huge fan of canned food. He has excellent litter box manners and likes cuddles with people he bonds with, which I think he would do fairly easy with anyone who is consistent, gives him lotsa crunchy treats for basic good behavior, and only uses a loud or stern voice when he is doing something wrong (that doesn’t happen very often). He will be quite shy at first as he has been through a lot, and I don’t believe he had ever had a treat or toy in his life before I got him; he is just starting to get what toys are and feel safe enough to play.
“Until he has bonded with you, he won’t like you messing with the top of his head; he is OK with petting. but toys that are catapulted over his head or sudden, unexpected movements can freak him out. Honestly, I’ve worked with a ton of cats and this dude is really sweet. In the morning, he will wait for me to get my coffee and when I sit down with it, he will come over, look me in the eye and gently tap my arm with his right paw to ask for some cuddles; it is as if he has missed me while I was sleeping (even though he slept with me on the bed all night).
“I believe that feeling safe and secure is something he hadn’t much of, and that is probably as much to do with his nature as a nurturer. He becomes much more worried when there is a man and a woman in the house, though two woman are fine; add a man to the mix and he gets a bit skittish. He witnessed a great deal of verbal and some physical abuse in his former home, so he will just need consistency and kindness to allow him to start shining again.
“I can say with certainty that he now has the basic, but perhaps fragile, trust in believing in humans, and is learning that they can do right by him. In spite of his upbringing, he is not a lot of work, he’s cuddly without being clingy, and he’s getting happier by the day.”
Once you know his background, you can understand his demeanor with us since his arrival, and you are instantly SO PROUD of how far he has come in such a short period of time: Grey Catsby had a hard time adjusting to the hustle and bustle of shelter life but is doing much better. He still spends most of his time observing the action from the top of the catwalk, but if you call him, he will come down for pets. He will make an excellent cat for a family once he warms up to his new home. He could live with or without other cats. He is the perfect gentleman, and also very handsome.
Grey Catsby likes people but isn’t crazy about being the center of attention. Once he comes down from the catwalk, though, he enjoys being near you — although he’s a bit shy at first. Anyone looking for a cat that has his quiet mannerisms will be very lucky. He may need a little extra time adjusting to new surroundings but would do just fine in no time.
When Grey was sick with calicivirus, he got extra one-on-one attention, and we think that helped him be more comfortable with us (strange as that may sound). He would be perfect for any home with older kids, another cat, or a small dog.
Well, there ya have it folks, Grey Catsby in a nutshell. We are thoroughly enjoying watching him become brave and more self-assured every single day that he is with us. Augusta did a fantastic job laying the groundwork and Grey is coming in to his own with purpose and grace.
More about Grey Catsby:
Extra-large
Domestic Short-hair, Gray & White
Adult
Male
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Not declawed
Prefers a home without dogs
Want to adopt Grey Catsby? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!
Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.
Each week WKTV features an adoptable pet—or few—from an area shelter. This week’s beauty is from Crash’s Landing. Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary rescue organizations were founded by Jennifer Denyes, DVM (Dr. Jen), who is on staff at Clyde Park Veterinary Clinic (4245 Clyde Park Ave SW).
Frida and Dwayne (our names for them) came to us in a roundabout way in late October/early November of 2018, as both cats actually had an owner but had been abandoned earlier in the summer. As it turns out the landlord in Wyoming told this person that cats were no longer allowed, so instead of returning them to the Humane Society where they originated from quite some time ago (in Frida’s case it had been over 5 years), they were simply let go.
A good friend of Dr. Jen had been looking after them for the past four months and began to investigate a bit further when Frida (born in August of 2009) turned up injured; when she saw that the facial wounds just weren’t healing she took action into her own hands and brought this kitty’s plight to Dr. Jen’s attention. After tiring of seeing her and her younger counterpart (Dwayne was born in the fall of 2016) seeking shelter from the rain and weather that was turning cold and unpredictable, Dr. Jen’s friend contacted the former owner and asked for permission to transfer them to our care; thankfully the woman obliged with much appreciation.
Darling Dwayne fared much better than Frida did, having only fleas and internal parasites to contend with. We were able to obtain his actual adoption and medical records as he had been adopted from the Humane Society of Kent County only a year prior to his rescue. Although we initially reunited the two former housemates, neither one of them seemed to pay much attention to one another, so it was no big deal when Frida had to take up residence at Big Sid’s (she tested FIV-positive). Dwayne acclimated instantly to his new surroundings, unlike his older counterpart; being younger and more easily adaptable definitely worked in his favor. He quickly became a favorite of the volunteers as he is so laid-back, quiet and content.
A total sweetheart by the very definition of the word, Dwayne would do well in a house with kids, but lap time is essential to his future happiness. He would be fine co-habitating with another feline friend, but on the flip side, we feel he would enjoy being the single apple of someone’s eye as well. Regardless of where he ultimately ends up, we know for a fact that dashing little Dwayne is going to make an absolutely fabulous addition to any family that is lucky enough to take him home—this time for good!
More about Dwayne:
Medium
Domestic Short-haired Tabby (Tiger-striped), White
Adult
Male
House-trained
Vaccinations up to date
Neutered
Not declawed
Good in a home with other cats, children
Want to adopt Dwayne? Learn about the adoption process here. Fill out a pre-adoption form here.
Can’t adopt, but still want to help? Find out how you can sponsor a cat!
Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary have a common mission: To take at-risk stray cats off the streets of the Greater Grand Rapids area, provide them with veterinary care and house them in free-roaming, no-kill facilities until dedicated, loving, permanent homes can be found.
